It’s coming up in just a few hours….the WEB Ball is about to drop – Just. Like. New. Years….3, 2, 1….
Happy June 1st, Woodstock Early Birds!
This is the first anniversary of Woodstock Early Bird which was started at the Mon Vert Cafe on June 1st, 2011 with a post featuring a photograph of a tree downed by a storm in front of the Norman Williams Public Library. Several neighbors and friends suggested that since Early Bird was always roaming around early in the day, she might as well report on her daily “findings.”
We went on to cover municipal meetings including the Design Review Board (remember the Dormer Issue?) and then that guy protesting his lawyer and then when Tropical Storm Irene struck, we went into overdrive to provide you with as much immediate information as possible. Our aim is to get information to you accurately, quickly and with a journalistic writing style and point-of-view you might not find elsewhere.
In the past year, Woodstock Early Bird has had nearly 300,000 views. There are currently 525 of you who are e-mail alert subscribers. The minute a post is uploaded you are “in-the-know”!
In addition, we have anywhere from 600 to 10oo daily visitors to the blog.
Our readership can skyrocket depending on the news of the day. For example, during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Irene, some 30,000 people checked in to Woodstock Early Bird in one single day.
We have, at this point, posted nearly 700 items. During Irene we posted some 13 distinct news items a day, other times days go by without event.
We will be providing you with more information in future posts about our new fundraising campaign for Woodstock Early Bird.
We need your help to keep this thing going. We’ll be placing a PayPal Donation button on the blog and providing a “snail mail” address to send checks. We think this is the best model for the coming year. So think about how you might like to contribute.
For those who are just itching to “do something” right now and write a check, our snail mail address is: Woodstock Early Bird, PO Box 659, Woodstock, VT 05091. For the “small” subscriber or small “venture capitalist” (because that’s what you are!), may we suggest a donation of $120, which is just ten dollars a month for this service over a year. We, of course, welcome larger donations and investors from the business, academic, corporate worlds and those just-out-back-of-the-barnyard folks who have been burying their money with the kimchi.
But, TODAY, let’s have some FUN! As a way of thanking YOU for your support, Woodstock Early Bird would like to buy you a cup of coffee!
Here’s the deal: If you visit Mon Vert Cafe tomorrow (Friday, June 1st) between the “Early Bird” hours of 7:30am and 10:30am and you speak the “secret password”, Mont Vert will provide you with a free cup of regular coffee courtesy of Woodstock Early Bird! Stop in and say hello!
Here’s the password for the Java:
“THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM!”
Thanks to all who read, subscribe, contribute and participate. Woodstock Early Bird loves this job and hopes to continue plucking out the best and most prime “worms” in the coming year. And, oh yeah, we love it when the birds sing….
Julia Carlisle, AKA, Woodstock Early Bird
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 
Posted by Joanne Boyle on May 31, 2012 at 21:28
Congratulations on a year well covered!
Your blog is a huge asset to the community.
Thank you, Julia, for all you do.
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Posted by Diana L. Allen on May 31, 2012 at 21:30
Please post an address of where I can mail my contribution check to you.
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on May 31, 2012 at 21:43
Thanks for asking:
Woodstock Early Bird
PO Box 659
Woodstock VT 05091
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Posted by Bob Pear on June 2, 2012 at 19:04
Julia, What a service you did for our community during Irene, (not only then, but that was the shining moment in a moment of need). Times were tense then and thanks for being there! The communication thread you provided made a huge difference. I hope the community can find a way to support your effort.
Thank you Bob (aka “Flood Water Boy”) It has been gratifying to have a Village Trustee take an active role in Woodstock Early Bird providing important information that can be passed along to the community. You were an early supporter of this “thread” and we look forward to hearing more from you and others about issues that affect us all.
WEB
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Posted by C. Durfee on May 31, 2012 at 21:39
/earlybird Carllisle is doing a fantastic job, and her joy in doing it is even more special.
We are fortunate that you took on this challenge, just waiting for you.
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Posted by Rachel on May 31, 2012 at 21:41
Congratulations! Mazel Tov! It is hard to believe it has been only a year! Seems like Early Bird is a essential part of Woodstock life.
Happy Anniversary and wishing you continued success.
With many thanks and best regards,
Rachel
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Posted by Meg Judy Seely on May 31, 2012 at 22:11
Congratulations Julia, and keep on keeping on, connecting us all in this place we all call home.
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Posted by Judy on May 31, 2012 at 22:19
Congratulations on a job welll done. Even in Alaska it’s fun to follow life in Vermont. Thank you!
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Posted by Wayne on June 1, 2012 at 00:12
Julia. – this effort is so needed to keep the community abreast of what is (or may be soon)
happenIng. As Ms. Julia and Mr. Wm. Boardman spat only as needed, we have a great local community dialog with very serious
legal/moral/humane/creative arguments for all of us to read and listen to carefully.
It is indeed a pleasure to have Julia to do this (it is lots of careful work).
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Posted by Marcy Cassady on June 1, 2012 at 02:56
Happy Anniversary Early Bird! I’m not a full-time resident, but like many others, I was introduced to this site shortly after “Irene” and know that when I have a new e-mail this early time of morning, it’s got to be the “Early Bird”. YEA!!!!!
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Posted by Bev Kinne, on June 1, 2012 at 05:40
Congratulations Julia! At our household the words “I read it on the Early Bird” happens daily. Thanks for all the information you provide us with. Cant wait to hear more about your fundraiser!
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Posted by Susan Morgan on June 1, 2012 at 07:42
Happy Anniversary!
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Posted by Would-Chuck on June 1, 2012 at 10:09
Thanks to your wandering eye, sense of smell and cat-like curiosity I kick-off my day with the Early Bird and Mont Vert coffee…………………………..life is good! Congratulations on your first year
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Posted by Julia Carlisle on June 1, 2012 at 10:12
Ok, Would-Chuck, Woodstock Early Bird does NOT allow anonymous comments and will not in the future, but we’ll give you a pass — and a thank you — on this first anniversary day!
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Posted by Jon Estey on June 1, 2012 at 10:48
Bird is the word! Congrats Jules! Jon
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Posted by Larry West on June 1, 2012 at 11:58
Congratulations & happy anniversary, Julia! Pithy stuff here…
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